Southern's Athletic Director welcomes the challenge | Business

William Broussard has been on the job now for a little more than a month.

"You asked me how it was going today and I said this will be the first time I sat down today," Broussard says.

Even when he's sitting down, the new Southern University Athletic Director is working nonstop--making phone calls or meeting with staff.

"I accepted this job because I wanted a challenge and also because of the great potential I see here," he says.

He has plenty of challenges. But the 33-year-old former football player with a doctorate in english is a man with a plan.

His first priority tackling his team's poor academic performance.

"So we're adding tutors-- student tutors and graduate assistants and looking to add a fulltime staff member for academics as well," he says.

Another issue... addressing the football team's disappointing season.

"The first thing I'm going to do is support Coach Mitchell and his team in whatever way I need to be able to do that," Broussard says.

Another challenge is filling the seats at the stadium during football season. Southern fans are known for traveling to away games and tailgating outside the stadium, but Broussard says he coming up with creative ticketing options to lure them back.

"If you want this team to do better,  we need financial support and we need people in the stands cheering for us when we play at home," Broussard says.

It's all alot for Broussard to deal with, but he says he's up for the challenge.